Bodily tissue and structures may be protected using a fluid layer containing a mixture of chitosan and oxidized polysaccharide. The mixture forms a protective gel layer via in situ crosslinking. Compared to crosslinking using a low molecular weight aldehyde such as glutaraldehyde or genipin, oxidized polysaccharides appear to provide faster gelation while avoiding the use of potentially less bioacceptable low molecular weight aldehydes.